1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improved synthetic polyamide and polyester fiber finish compositions characterized by compositions which are sufficiently stable to resist oxidation at elevated temperatures without generating color formation on the fibers in the presence of oxides of nitrogen. More particularly, this invention relates to a fabric finish composition consisting of a major amount of a lubricant and an effective amount of stabilizer, said stabilizer being a reaction product of dicyclopentadiene, p-cresol, and isobutylene.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A fiber lubricant which is used either as fiber finish or spin finish has several functions. It may protect the newly spun fiber from fusion or breakage by controlling the yarn to metal friction between the yarn and machine guides, rollers, draw plates, heater plate and texturing false twist spindles or friction disks. The lubricant provides for yarn cohesion giving strength to the yarn by holding the yarn bundle together and by allowing the yarn to build up an acceptable package at the end of processing. Static electricity that is formed as the yarn rapidly moves through the processing equipment would also be controlled. Finally, the finish must protect machine surfaces from wear. Since the fiber is exposed to heat treatment during processing steps such as bulking and texturing, the fiber finish must show acceptable thermal stability in air as well as in the presence of oxides of nitrogen.
It is not uncommon for the fiber industry to employ propane fired ovens for the heat treatment of the fibers. These ovens generate appreciable quantities of oxides of nitrogen at elevated temperatures which can cause color formation of the fiber lubricant due to its instability in the presence of those oxides of nitrogen. Furthermore, during storage of the undyed yarn there is exposure to the exhaust of the fork lift trucks employed in the warehouses. These lift trucks can also generate excessive quantities of oxides of nitrogen.
Generally, fiber lubricants consisted of a base material such as mineral oil, alkylesters of fatty acids or vegetable oils, emulsifiers that allowed the lubricant to be applied from a water solution, and antistatic agents. Furthermore, special additives such as antioxidants, bactericides, friction modifiers or buffering agents were added. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,785,973; 3,951,825 and British Pat. No. 1,440,552 teach the texturing of polyesters. U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,588 teaches a fiber finish for polyesters employing a particular phenolic compound as an antioxidant. U.S. Pat. No. 3,397,081 teaches the production of nylon fiber using a finish lubricant which contains an antioxidant formed by the reaction of diphenylamine and acetone.